Opinions on the DSL 100H Heads

[bmcguitar]

Hey all! My old 1999 JCM2000 (with replaced mainboard 100w head) is still giving me grief so im looking to upgrade to a newer DSL Head as a replacement / backup when shit goes wrong.

Whats everyone's opinions on the newer heads vs the older JCM2000 heads ??

For clarity I use the crunch channel (green / button in) on the JCM2000 so Im looking for a similar kind of punch / performance that channel generates.

EDIT: THE HR model is not what im looking for, im leaning toward the 100H model not the HR.

EDIT: I bought a second hand DLS100H head and have been putting through some tests. Here is a video demo of the amp I put together (basically to see how it would react with my normal pedal setup) as part of a pedal demo series ive started on (yet another pedal demo); but I still want to hear users opinions

 

[GuitarIV]

Hey all! My old 1999 JCM2000 (with replaced mainboard 100w head) is still giving me grief so im looking to upgrade to a newer DSL Head as a replacement / backup when shit goes wrong.

Whats everyone's opinions on the newer heads vs the older JCM2000 heads ??

For clarity I use the crunch channel (green / button in) on the JCM2000 so Im looking for a similar kind of punch / performance that channel generates.

I'll be watching this thread. I too have an older JCM 2000 DSL 100 and I am curious about the newest version. They say they fixed the EQ mismatch between the channels and having MIDI and a dedicated resonance control instead of the simple Deep switch sounds like a great improvement.

If I get another amp right now it's between the DSL100HR and the Laney IRT 120H...

 

[Emtbreid]

Idk what the difference veteeen the 100H and HR is tone wise, but I’m pretty sure the H has chassis mounted power tubes, as well as the DSL40C

 

[Dmann]

I owned the 100H for a few years paired with a stock 1960B cab. IMHO great platform amp for using pedals, using the green channel as a clean, but stand alone just average. Red channel is meh.

The loop is great though, seamless. Missing is midi to switch channels so you need a relay capable unit if you plan on using FX and switching channels with a midi controller.

I was a Marshall guy for most my life.

Last year I bought a 50 watt EVH 5150iii 6L6 with the concentric pots and so much happier with this amp. Dont get me wrong the DSL has its sound but its basically a single channel amp if you plan on using it live (imo), and to dial it in.... I needed an EQ in the loop.

 

[Far Rider]

I've had mine for well over 5 years with nary a problem. Excellent workmanship, far better than the original JCM2000's. Take pedals well and I agree about the loop. The reverb could be a little better (the most common complaint). Quiet as a church. I don't use it much anymore since I've been building my own amps, but I know I can fire it up and not be disappointed.

 

[marshalltsl]

The new DSL100 HR it's better than JCM2000 DSL100 just the old springs reverb it's better than new digital reverb. Would be great if Marshall will do the same with the old TSL100.

 

[MemphisMarshallMan]

I have two DSL100H heads, and the other guitar player in my band has two of the newer DSL100HR heads. He likes the tone/sound of my heads better, but honestly I think both mine and his sound pretty closely alike.
We are both using old jcm800 412 cabs.

 

[Ufoscorpion]

I owned the 100H for a few years paired with a stock 1960B cab. IMHO great platform amp for using pedals, using the green channel as a clean, but stand alone just average. Red channel is meh.

The loop is great though, seamless. Missing is midi to switch channels so you need a relay capable unit if you plan on using FX and switching channels with a midi controller.

I was a Marshall guy for most my life.

Last year I bought a 50 watt EVH 5150iii 6L6 with the concentric pots and so much happier with this amp. Dont get me wrong the DSL has its sound but its basically a single channel amp if you plan on using it live (imo), and to dial it in.... I needed an EQ in the loop.

All the new Marshall amps are obviously great , particularly the ‘ studio ‘ stuff . The one thing that seems to be missing is something like a 20w jvm type amp . A jvm studio I guess is what I’m eluding to , how cool would that be !

 

[Lance Chambers]

I have the original DSL and the new DSL-HR. I use the HR more because you just can't beat the MV push on the power tubes when using channel volume as level control.

 

[JCMDOUG]

I bring the DSL 100 H as a backup amp to every show. you can get lots of tones out of it and its a total a monster.
Gary Holt of Slayer uses them as his main amp in 2013. I saw it on a guitar rig rundown 23 min in

 

[scozz]

The one thing that seems to be missing is something like a 20w jvm type amp . A jvm studio I guess is what I’m eluding to , how cool would that be !

Im hearing this sentiment more and more lately.

 

[MonstersOfTheMidway]

I could be wrong, but I think I remember that the transformers are different in the new DSL amps compared to the old/original JCM2K DSL amps. If so, that will probably make a difference in tone when comparing the two, but it may not be a bad difference if you like what the sound of the new DSL amps.

On the up side, I really haven't heard any reliability issues with the new DSL amps. If the original JCM2K DSL is giving your problems, perhaps it's time to switch.

 

[MaskingApathy]

Hey all! My old 1999 JCM2000 (with replaced mainboard 100w head) is still giving me grief so im looking to upgrade to a newer DSL Head as a replacement / backup when shit goes wrong.

Whats everyone's opinions on the newer heads vs the older JCM2000 heads ??

For clarity I use the crunch channel (green / button in) on the JCM2000 so Im looking for a similar kind of punch / performance that channel generates.

EDIT: THE HR model is not what im looking for, im leaning toward the 100H model not the HR.

I'm curious as to why you're not interested in the HR? If you're looking for a H my brother is selling his, sounds great and has been well maintained.

 

[Troy T. Blues]

I'm curious as to why you're not interested in the HR? If you're looking for a H my brother is selling his, sounds great and has been well maintained.

I'd like to know too.

 

[bmcguitar]

I'm curious as to why you're not interested in the HR? If you're looking for a H my brother is selling his, sounds great and has been well maintained.

TO be honest, I dont know why Lol! Just from what ive been reading I figured the H would be more closer to the tone I wanted. I managed to find a DSL100 H head yesterday that I quickly bought put on credit. Ive been playing around with it and VS the 99 DSL 100 head, the crunch channel is very different to the 99 amp, tighter amp not as spongy sounding as the DSL crunch channel but with some tweaking will serve my needs.

 

[bmcguitar]

I could be wrong, but I think I remember that the transformers are different in the new DSL amps compared to the old/original JCM2K DSL amps. If so, that will probably make a difference in tone when comparing the two, but it may not be a bad difference if you like what the sound of the new DSL amps.

On the up side, I really haven't heard any reliability issues with the new DSL amps. If the original JCM2K DSL is giving your problems, perhaps it's time to switch.

Yeah the old j2k has been giving me grief for years; it has a new mainboard in it but tube quality has been lacking of late too. Just getting sick of buying four tubes, installing them and one going bad and end up having to replace the lot. Thats just a waste of money effort and time. The j2k is fine when its stable but getting decent tube life out them is getting irritating.

 

[Lance Chambers]

When will the old JCM2000 DSL be listed in the "Member Classifieds"?

 

[bmcguitar]

When will the old JCM2000 DSL be listed in the "Member Classifieds"?

It most likely wont... particularly while my band is still running. It will hopefully remain as the primary head until the new DSL can prove itself.

 

[Lance Chambers]

...........It will hopefully remain as the primary..........

My JCM2000 would be primary if it had a Master Volume. I wouldn't own the HR unit.

 

[bmcguitar]

Works for me but only for home use seeing my autistic son cant stand the sound of loud things